Organ (music)

The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments in the western musical tradition, with a rich history connected with the Christian religion and civic ceremony. Its sound output is continuous rather than decaying, i.e., the sound continues for as long as a key is depressed and does not depend on how hard the key is struck-?as is the case with a (velocity sensitive) piano--, and does not automatically decay quickly, like the harpsichord, and clavichord. However, some modern electronic organs have the capacity for velocity sensitivity. Many organs do not have aftertouch (pressure sensitivity) and so do not respond to how hard a key is held down.

Similar instruments

Other instruments which are played from a reservoir of gas and have separate tone-producing mechanisms for each pitch include:

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• the accordion and concertina, in which the bellows is operated by the squeezing action of the instrumentalist;
• the melodeon, a reed instrument with an air reservior and a foot operated bellows, popular in the USA in the mid-19th century;
• the Harmonium or parlor organ, a reed instrument usually with many stops and two foot-operated bellows which the instrumentalist operates alternately;
• the steam calliope, being essentially a pipe organ operated on steam rather than air;
• the band organ, essentially a pipe organ, but instead of a keyboard, mechanical means are used to play a prepared song.
• the barrel organ made famous by the organ grinder in its portable form, and relatively invisible in its larger form because it was then often fitted out with keyboards to give the option for totally a human performance
• the portative organ, a small portable medieval instrument
• the positive organ, a somewhat larger though still portable medieval instrument
• various sorts of novelty instruments operating on the same principles.

Other wind instruments that have no reservoir of gas but use a separate tone-producing mechanism for each pitch

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• the harmonica, where the musician effectively blows directly onto the reeds is also known as a mouth organ;
• the pan-pipes

Other wind instruments that are played from a reservoir of gas but do not use a separate tone-producing mechanism for each pitch

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• bagpipes